Disclaimer: See chapter I

Chap. XVI

Octavia continued to storm away from the crypt/throne room, practically shoving past the other who was in her way until she reached her quarters. The blinders were already over the curtain, preventing the sunlight from getting through. Slamming the door behind her, the vampires slumped into the nearby chair and stared into the mirror. Much like many of the myths on vampire, they could in fact see their reflections. But that wasn't her concern right now. She felt like she had been rejected by the vampire Elder. And for what? His love was now dead. Why not be with her? It didn't make any sense to her.

'He actually loves her still? That's preposterous!'

Speaking of which, something else had come to mind. His scent. He was on the other end of the room, but she caught it clearly. In addition to confronting Marcus, she also wanted to confirm was said between him and the servant girl. She had been creeping over the side, listening in. And now, she was glad for it. Marcus's scent was in fact different. She didn't know what to make of it, but it wasn't vampire. Not anymore. He was hiding something. Something that could work to her advantage in the near future. Speaking of future, Octavia reached for her cellular and began to dial. A short moment later, someone answered on the other end.

-"Octavia."-

"Yes. They got away."

-"I know. But how?"-

"I don't know, but I suspect that Marcus had something to do with it."- Her eyes wavered to the door briefly. "Something's different about him."

The voice became curious, -"Really?"-

"I don't know what it is, but it is big."

-"I want to know what it is."- the speaker demanded. -"Can you find out?"-

A devious smile crossed her lips, "Oh please, darling. I'm not without my wiles. I will find out."

-"I'll handle my part here. I just have to wait for that lycan to return to his den and then we can proceed."-

"So you're responsible for the deaths of those vampires." she stated without emotion.

-"Call it collateral damage. Just as long as our agenda is fulfilled. I better move now. I'll contact you tonight."-

"Of course. I'll be waiting, Kraven."

Erika entered her room and settled in, closing the door behind her. Everything seemed to be in a quiet chaos since the invasion of the mansion. She was still surprise to see Michael again. She only remembered him briefly when Selene brought him in the first time. She had teased Selene about it, but it wasn't without reason. After all, why would Miss Death Dealer Selener bring a young man into the mansion, knowing full well that such an act would earn Kraven's anger?

But Selene was serious about it (as she was with everything), saying that he had saved her life and for Selene, that was the closest she had gotten to having a close relationship with someone other that Viktor or a fellow Death Dealer. Meeting Michael in the hall, she almost regretted freaking out at him for the lycan bite on his neck and to her credit, scaring him away. He was more handsome awake than asleep. And he had such a unique scent about him. 'To bad he's already taken' she mused as she slipped out of her clothes and into her nightgown. 'He's quite the pet.'

Which brought another to mind. Marcus…

Erika recalled her encounter with him. At first, it was someone to latch on to like before. Though he was an Elder, she wanted to do the best she could for him. But he had surprised her. She never actually met him until that day. Her changing had been in the latter years of his reign and by that time, she was occupied with her duties as well as her adjustment into the world of the vampires. The only Elder she had actually met first was Amelia and that had been brief since Amelia was leaving the country. She had expected Marcus to be like Viktor, cold and powerful. But he wasn't. True, there was great power there, but it wasn't invoked by fear or dread. It was just…there. As she fingered her hair, she began to think more about him. Well, he is quite handsome. Far more than Kraven…'

Erika shook her head and sulked to herself. She hated the fact that she was like that. Attracted to men because of the power they had. It had gotten her nowhere, but downhill. She had been obsessed with Kraven for years, but he had only used her and then ditched her when she was of no use to him. And then she had a brief thought about Viktor, which was completely ridiculous since he was way out of her league and age. Not to say that Marcus wasn't either, but…

Shaking the thoughts away, the young vampiress settled into her bed and lay down. She decided that she would dismiss it and go about her usual activities tonight. Leave men out of the equation of her eternal life. Which posed a problem, since his electrifying eyes were the last thing on her mind before she drifted to sleep. That…and his scent. A scent that seemed oddly familiar for some reason…

The door to Ethan's home quietly opened as the silent lycan entered into his home. One he must say goodbye to now. It wasn't like he was going to stay here forever anyway. The only reason he returned now was because there was a few supplies he had to pick up and it was best to move during the day, for obvious reasons. As he did, he remembered the peace and tranquility in this place. Although it did little to comfort the pain of his heart over his lost love, he was at least content here. He never had to worry about the others. Lucian was their leader after all. But now his elder brother was gone, killed by the same vampire who had taken his love.

'Kraven…'

Ethan growled inwardly. It seemed the whether he fought in this war or not, someone he loved would die. Now it seems that he was at the crossroads again. On the one side, Michael will decide to lead the pack, in which case Ethan will be right where he started; in the shadows of support and aid. On the other end, he would be the lycan's new alpha, in which it would be up to him to guide his brethren to safety. But that seemed all but impossible considering that their opponent may be a hybrid like Michael, possibly even stronger. Either way, there will be a battle and a terrible one at that. Michael will insist on helping, but Ethan felt that the young man had done more than enough to help them. Michael shouldn't be a part of this anymore. For that matter, neither should Selene, although she would say otherwise. He had joked about it, but he seriously saw the strong bond that existed between the two. He recognized it all too well.

'Kara…'

Ethan dismissed the thought, but not because he wanted to. It was only because he realized that he had finished packing his things. 'Well, this is it. There's no turning back now' Lifting the materials over his shoulder in a duffel bag, he stood in the path of the door and stopped. He looked around and took a deep breath, as if trying to lock the place in his memory.

"Goodbye."

Ethan locked the door shut and walked away to his fate. His chosen fate…

Michael walked back from the medical room to where he had last left Selene. It had taken him nearly an hour to get used to the scents of the medical chemicals and he still wasn't quite used to it yet. His hybrid senses just made everything skyrocket in his brain. He would just have to try more to get used to it. He still wished to practice medicine, although that seemed pretty far off now. Besides, what hospital in their right mind would agree to train a vampire-lycan hybrid? The patients alone would die from sight, he laughed bitterly within. But he suspected that both races have thrived this long in the world without notice, so it couldn't be as hopeless as he thought.

'Maybe I'll ask Selene…'

There she was again in his thoughts. Every time, she would enter into his mind, even when the subject was unrelated to her. He couldn't help how he felt about her. Try as he might, the dark warrioress would always come into his mind.

'I'm like some love-sick puppy.'

Moving through the den, he was about to ask one of the other lycans where Selene was when it occurred to him to just follow her scent. It wasn't hard for him to do; in fact her scent was locked in memory. He trailed it to one of the tunnels and into what appeared to be a storage room. Entering in, he found her quietly asleep in a chair in the corner of the room. She was perfectly still and her breathing was light.

Michael shook his head in amusement as he looked to the side to where there was a bed nearby. 'She just refuses to sleep in a bed.' Michael quietly approached her and bent to pick her up, but stopped. At this range, he was too close to her. He figured that out because his heart began to race and his mind began to freeze. She was just so beautiful. Even more so asleep. She seemed at peace this way, a sight Michael thought he'd never see on her face. His control was beginning to slip, but he forced himself to stay with it.

'Just…take her…to bed…'

Though the words weren't exactly helpful in dispelling any lustful thought he was having at the time, Michael slowly reached behind Selene and lifted her off the chair. He was amazed at how light she was. But whether she was always like that or because of his new strength was another question. Michael moved to the bed and lowered her down, but he found that she was still clinging to him. He blinked, not expecting this and began to slip out of her grasp.

As he arose, something caught his attention and before he knew it, he had stopped rising. It was nothing, but stopping was his mistake, for as soon as he did, he could not move any further. He was totally entranced by her dark hair, porcelain skin and crimson lips. Her scent at this range was deepening the effect as well, drawing him back to her slowly. 'No. Get a hold of yourself, Michael.' But his body didn't agree and he drew even closer, focusing particularly on her lips. It was as if they were pulling him in. Realizing that fighting was useless, a new realization dawned on him. In the times they had contact like this; it was always her that initiated it. Twice to incapacitate him and once to save him.

I guess…I should at least…have one…

It was an irrational thought, he knew. But it served its purpose long enough for his eyes to seal close and for his lips to touch hers tenderly. She felt cold against him, but it was a chill Michael welcomed. Still fighting the urgent impulses rushing through him, Michael began to back away, stopping himself short of literally pouncing. She was asleep after all. But as his eyes opened, he found that thought to be past tense.

Selene was awake and staring right at him with the ice glare of a vampire…